


talk to my red and my cherry

by bawling



Category: SKAM (TV)
Genre: Coming Out, F/F, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-31
Updated: 2017-01-31
Packaged: 2018-09-21 05:50:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9534419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bawling/pseuds/bawling
Summary: After a Kosegruppa pregame at Even's turns into a full-blown rave, he has an unexpected heart-to-heart with Vilde in the bathtub. Naturally, weed is involved.





	

**Author's Note:**

> title taken from Nas' Cherry Wine

Even wasn’t entirely sure how he’d gotten himself into this situation.

It was possible that it started with him attending a single kosegruppa meeting in October for the sole purpose of meeting Isak Valtersen, man of his life. And if that’s what led to him squeezed between Isak, a very drunk Eva and friends, and fifty other people he’d never seen before in his parents’ living room, he figured it was totally worth it. 

But that still didn’t explain how (or if) he’d volunteered his flat for the first kosegruppa pregame post winter break. Was he…still technically in the kosegruppa? Was Isak? It was hard to say. He  _was_  certain that they’d passed  _pregame_  about ten kilometers back. It was impossible to call the carnage occurring in his living room a  _pregame_. This was a full blown party and he was pretty sure the kosegruppa had nothing to do with it.

“Remind me how all these people ended up here?” Even whispered into the sweaty skin just above Isak’s ear.

He snaked one arm around Isak’s waist, pressing their hips closer together in time with the beat. The music was loud and indistinct and he wasn’t exactly sure what was playing but it didn’t matter.

Isak leaned his head back to make eye contact and hooked his arms around the back of Even’s neck.

“I  _told_  you. I invited Jonas, Mahdi and Magnus, and Magnus invited Mathias, and I don’t fucking know who Mathias invited—”

“—and I invited Mikael who showed up with a bunch of third years from Bakka—”

“—and then apparently everyone started posting about it on Insta.”

“Fuck. My parents are going to kill me.”

“I’d be more worried about Vilde if I were you. She’s probably fucking pissed.”

Even looked past Isak to where he’d last seen Eva and the rest of the girls. Eva and Vilde were pressed up against one another—Eva was attempting to kiss her at the same time Vilde was attempting to take another sip of wine. They both erupted in intoxicated giggles and a few drops of Vilde’s wine sloshed out onto the floor.

“Something tells me she doesn’t mind that much. Or won’t remember.”

He gestured behind Isak who looked over his shoulder. He turned back to Even and rolled his eyes.

“Just wait till Monday. And if she comes after me, I’m telling her it was  _your_  fault.”

His lips quirked into a teasing smile and he pulled his arms tighter around Even’s neck. Even felt the laugh leave his throat even though he could barely hear it. He leaned closer to Isak and pressed their foreheads together, ghosting his lips over Isak’s mouth. Isak pushed himself up on his tiptoes and locked their mouths together over and over and—

“Isak. ISAK.”

They broke apart and both looked around. Magnus was standing right beside them, his beer-free hand tugging on the sleeve of Isak’s t-shirt. Even’s eyes went from Magnus and back to Isak. He looked like he was considering murdering Magnus in the middle of the dance floor.

“WHAT?”

“I need you, bro. I wouldn’t have…you know,  _interrupted_  but Mahdi is hooking up with someone in the kitchen and Jonas is in the middle of some bullshit political debate. I’m desperate.”

Isak rolled his eyes again and exhaled an impressively dramatic breath.

“What’s going on?”

“There’s this third year from Bakka, she’s totally out of my league but we made  _eye contact_. Please, man, I need your help, you always know how to play it.”

Magnus had resumed his tugging on Isak’s sleeve and Isak looked up at Even like he deeply regretted his ability to charm women.

“Babe, he’s right. You’ve got to put your skills to good use, you don’t want to lose them.” Now he looked like he was considering murdering both Even  _and_  Magnus. “Don’t worry, I’ll come find you in fifteen minutes.”

Magnus took Isak’s outraged silence as a yes, grabbed his arm, and started pulling him towards the kitchen. Even caught a last kiss on Isak’s palm as he floated away into the thick layer of bodies.

Even stood motionless for a minute, observing the chaos. God, he needed another drink. He remembered setting his beer down in his room before the most recent pack of uninvited thrill seekers had buzzed the apartment for entry. He slid sideways through clumps of friends, through the open doorway, and into his room.

Which had apparently become the evening’s designated opium den. He noticed Mikael among the large circle of people sitting on the floor, passing a lit joint. He sighed and made a b-line for his bunk bed, lifting the bottom mattress and checking the tin where he kept his stash. There was one rolled joint left inside. The last thing he needed tonight was someone stealing his weed. He stuck the joint behind his ear for safekeeping. He replaced the tin, walked over to the windowsill and grabbed his beer. He made sure to crack the window before he turned to head back out to the living room.

Someone had switched the music from Vilde's pregame designated Top 40 playlist to J Hus (he suspected Mahdi was behind this). It made the room feel darker and hazier than before. Even scanned for familiar faces and spotted Eskild in the far corner, shimmying with Chris and Kasper. Noora was behind them, flapping her hands at Sana in animated conversation. Eva was plastered up against the wall with Christoffer. It looked like they had been surgically attached by the lips.

Even smiled fondly at them from where he stood. They'd all started out as strictly Isak's friends, but they had become strangely possessive of him in the last few weeks, ever since Isak asked them to be his collective eyes and ears on Even’s bad days. He wouldn't admit it to Isak (he preferred teasing him about it) but he didn't mind. He liked feeling included.

Noora stopped flapping long enough to catch his eye. She waved with one hand, the other tapping Sana on the shoulder. Sana turned and smiled at him. 

He was just about to make his way through what he suspected was a group of Handels first years (when exactly had they shown up?) when a blonde head whizzed directly under his nose. He stared after it just in time to see a fuzzy pink sweater disappear into the hall bathroom.  He blinked and looked back towards Noora and Sana. They exchanged glances and Even saw them mouth  _Vilde_  in unison. They looked back at Even, expectant. He lifted his eyebrows and shrugged. Sana rolled her eyes and pointed intently towards the bathroom.

Even took the hint. He wasn't exactly sure when he'd reached the level of friendship among the girls that included comforting in bathrooms while drunk at social gatherings. He  _did_  know that Sana would have his ass (and by proxy, Isak's) if he let Vilde retreat to the bathroom without being a proper host and making sure she was alright.

The hall sheltered him from some of the noise but it was still too loud to tell what was happening behind the bathroom door. He knocked. Nothing. He pressed his ear up against it. He thought he could hear some muffled sobs, but it also sort of sounded like someone blowing their nose underwater. He knocked again, a little louder, turned the knob and pushed his head through the crack.

"Vilde? Are you in here?"

The lights were off and it took a minute for his eyes to adjust to the dimness of the small space. Vilde was standing at the sink, her back to him, head slumped in a hand towel. Her limp blonde hair was tied back with a pink ribbon, and the hem of her black velvet skirt was rucked up into her black nylons. Bits of fuzz from her sweater were floating in the still air like pink snowflakes. One landed on Even's nose and he brushed it away as he stepped into the room and closed the door behind him.

"Hey, are you okay?"

He watched her dab her eyes with the hand towel in the mirror. She sniffled quietly before she turned to face him.

"Oh, hi Even." Her big eyes were puffy, face conspicuously stained with lines of mascara. "Thanks so much for letting us use your place for the, um, for the pregame..."

Her voiced trailed off. It was quiet again for a second and Even could hear the buzz of voices and dull bass from the other room. Vilde's forced smile faltered and her eyes started to well again. 

"Look, I'm really sorry that the pregame got...that things got out of hand. Isak invited the guys and then I invited someone from Bakka...anyways, we totally fucked up and I—"

"Oh, no, it's okay. I'm not upset about the party. If anything more people will think the kosegruppa is actually cool after tonight," She let her eyes fall to the tiled floor. "It's a personal matter."

"Oh?" Even quirked his eyebrow at her. He gestured over his shoulder towards the door. "Do you...want me to get Chris or Sana?"

"No," Her tiny voice took on an edge of panic and her eyes widened. "They...I don't want to ruin their night."

"Are you sure? They're your best friends, I'm sure they'd want to help - "

"No, please. I'd rather just stay in here."

She looked inquisitively at him. Even didn't miss her curious eyes lingering on the joint tucked neatly behind his ear.

"Do you—do you want me to stay in here with you? We could light up, get your mind off it?"

"Marijuana is really bad for you."

Her words sounded stale and rehearsed. Even let a mischievous grin curl around his mouth. He quirked his eyebrows at her again.

“I won’t tell if you won’t.”

She didn’t say anything but there was a tiny spark in her expression that Even suspected was usually reserved for drama and scheming. He stepped closer to the sink, knelt down, and rummaged in the cupboard drawer for the matches he knew his mom kept in here for burning candles.

Matches in hand, he stood and walked over to the bathtub. He climbed in, settling with his back against the shower wall and his long legs draped over the short side. Vilde followed him with her eyes but stayed at the sink. 

Even stuck the blunt artfully between his lips and lit a match. He took a few expert drags, blowing out streams of smoke until the thick smell of it started to fill up the room. He felt the familiar heaviness settling in the pit of his stomach and pooling in his joints. He reached out, offering it up in Vilde’s direction.

Vilde hesitated for another moment before moving to sit on the edge of the of the tub, her ankles crossed with as much ladylike composure as she could maintain while still wine drunk. She accepted the blunt from between Even’s fingers. She eyed it and giggled nervously.

“I’ve never done this before.”

“Just hold the smoke in as long as you can. It’s okay if—”

She’d worked up enough courage as he was talking and sucked hard on the joint. Her face contorted, eyes squinting as she let out a magnificent cough. She looked like she was dying.

“—uh yeah, it’s okay if you have to work up to it.”

Even couldn’t help but laugh through her fit of tiny coughs. She gave the weed a determined stare and put it back to her lips, inhaling more slowly. Tears pooled at the corners of her eyes as she held the smoke in her lungs. She managed about six seconds this time before the coughing fit started back up.

“Not bad, not bad,” Even laughed again as Vilde pushed the blunt back into his hand. “For a virgin, that is.”

She made a face at him.

“For your information, I am  _not_  a virgin.”

“Uh, yeah, you have no idea what I had to sit through after the Christmas party.” Even gave her nyloned knee a poke. She blushed furiously.

“What happened with you and Magnus, anyway? Are you guys still hooking up?” 

Vilde’s eyes were starting to look glazed. She gripped the tub to steady herself. Her whole body was starting to tilt backwards.

“Hey, come sit in here with me before you fall over,” Even tugged her wrist and patted tub floor next to him. She lowered herself into the tub next to Even and twisted around until they were in matching positions. Her eyes closed and she let her head loll over onto his shoulder.

“You smell nice.”

“Thanks, so do you,” Even smiled. “So? What about you and Magnus?”

“Oh. Uh, no. We’re not. Hooking up.” She plucked the joint out of Even’s fingers and sucked in another lungful of smoke. Even stayed quiet, waiting for her to elaborate. She looked up at him and he raised his eyebrows at her.

“He was sweet. It was nice, hooking up with him. And I’m glad I could help him out—”

“—But that’s all it was? I thought you really liked him?” Even knew the conversation was entering dangerously personal territory but Vilde didn’t seem to mind.

“I  _do_  like him, just. I think he just needs more...experience.” She couldn’t keep a note of pity out of her airy voice. She sounded far away even with her head pressed against him. 

“So, you’re not upset that he’s hooking up with someone else tonight?” Even prompted again. He was starting to formulate a list of potential reasons for her to run crying into the bathroom. He watched her closely.

“No. I mean, it’s a party. People hook up, and I, um...”

“You wanted to hook up with someone else?”

“No! I had other things to worry about. Setting up the music and the drinks and, you know, being a good host.” She attempted to sniff indignantly but it came out as more of a snort.

“Correct me if I’m wrong but locking yourself in the bathroom to get high doesn’t sound like being a good host,” Even chuckled at her expression. The weed was really hitting him now. Time was slowing to a stop. “What time is it?” 

Vilde reached into her cleavage to retrieve her iPhone.

“22:12.”

“We’ve been in here a while. I think the Bakka crowd showed up arou – shit.  _Shit_. I forgot about Isak.”

Even fished his phone out of the back pocket of his jeans. Isak’s texts were lighting up the screen. 

 _(21:47) herregud, magnus driver meg til vanvidd..._   _denne jenta er aldri ĺ knulle ham_  

_(21:55) Hei hvor er du? jeg ikke se deg i stua_

_(22:02) EVEN du forlot meg. Hvor faen er du_

He let his head fall back and hit the shower wall. Fuck. Isak was already pissed, he’d be in a bad mood all night if he smelled the weed on Even’s breath. Even’s muscles twitched as he started to lift himself out of the tub, but Vilde’s head was still snuggled in the crook of his neck. He opened his mouth to excuse himself when he heard her wispy voice again.

“How are you and Isak anyway? He seems...he seems happier now.” 

Even smiled down at her blonde head.

“Yeah? We’re, yeah, we’re doing good.”

She made a small, pleased sound.

“It’s so nice that you guys got together. You two are so cute.”

Even’s smile slid down into a small frown. He hesitated.

“You mean, it’s cute because we’re happy? Or just because we’re two boys holding hands?”

She looked up at him, dazed. It took her a second to realize she’d said something wrong.

“Oh, that’s not how I meant it. I only meant that, I mean, it isn’t exactly a secret that there was a lot of drama between you at first.” She broke eye contact, staring down at her knees. “I’m just glad you guys worked everything out in the end.”

Even remembered the conversation he and Isak had on the dance floor earlier. Generally, their comments about Vilde weren’t exactly kind. They were more, well,  _exasperated_. He pouted, searching for the right words before he spoke.

“Listen, I know Isak isn’t exactly friendly to you most of the time, but he means well. I hope you don’t think he, or I, look down on you. I think you’re really cool.” 

Vilde suddenly looked uncomfortable and her eyes started to look weepy again. She turned so she was facing him, drawing her knees up and wrapping her arms around them. Even reconsidered her expression—she didn’t look irritated, she looked  _guilty_.

“You don’t have to say that, Even. Isak has a reason to hate me. And so do you.” A stringy piece of hair fell in her eyes and she smoothed it behind her ear. “I just want you to know how sorry I am for what I said about you to Isak. I shouldn’t have gotten involved but there were a lot of rumors going on about you and I just, I don’t know. It was a shitty thing to do.”

She sniffled. Even sat blinking. He felt like he was only having half of a conversation. 

“Vilde, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Isak’s never said anything about you except when it was about kosegruppa stuff. Whatever you said, I’m sure he’s put it behind him.”

“He...he didn’t tell you?” Even shook his head. Vilde stared down at her knees. She looked like she was rearranging her mental furniture. “After I heard what people were saying happened at Bakka, I told him about the rumors. I...I basically told him that you were crazy and that he should be careful.” 

Even watched her, deadly silent. Waiting.

“But he defended you right away. He told me I should grow up, and he was right.” 

Even felt a tiny flare of heat in the pit of his stomach.  _Isak had defended him_. People had been trying to break them apart with rumors and Isak had still chosen to love him and accept him. Even looked back at the phone in his hand. Isak’s texts stared up at him, unanswered. 

“Thank you for telling me,” Even turned back towards Vilde, and reached out a hand to rest on her fuzzy shoulder. “And as for the rumors, some of them were true. I haven’t really talked to anyone from Bakka since I left. Tonight is the first time I’ve hung out with any of them and it’s still really fucking awkward. I’ve been avoiding them practically all evening.”

Vilde nodded as she fiddled with the hem of her skirt.

“But...Isak knew before I said anything? About what happened?” 

“He might not have known about Bakka but he knew enough.”

Vilde was quiet for a long time before she spoke. Even took a hit off the joint. The smoke swirled from his lips and joined the layer of haze floating over them.

“It must be nice to be with someone who knows those things about you and doesn’t care.”

Vilde’s voice was small and unguarded. She was still concentrating on her hem, tugging at a rogue black string near the seam. Even got the feeling they weren’t really talking about him and Isak at all. 

“It is. Like I said, things aren’t easy but we’re talking the hard stuff out. Like smoking,” Even extended his arm and flicked the ashy end of the joint into the toilet bowl. “I’m technically not supposed to smoke, since it’s not good for my condition. Isak would be pissed if he knew I was in here with you.”

“But it’s also nice that he accepts that you dated a girl even though you’re gay.”

Even paused again. Another unintended knife in his side.

“Vilde, just because I’m with Isak now doesn’t mean I didn’t love Sonja.”

“Oh. Right. I guess I just thought—” She bit her lip, cutting herself off abruptly. Even cocked his head and finished her thought for her.

“What, thought I was faking it for four whole years?”

She looked equal parts ashamed that she’d implied something insensitive and confused at how precisely it had been insensitive. Even sighed.

“I wasn’t faking anything. It is possible for someone to like both boys  _and_  girls.”

Her brows knitted in concentration. She tugged harder at the string. 

“So... you’re bisexual?”

“Not really. Like...some people aren’t a boy or a girl, and if I liked them, that still wouldn’t matter. Does that make sense?” Vilde looked like she had never thought so hard about anything in her entire life. “Sometimes when people say they’re bisexual they mean everyone, but I’d rather just say I like who I like.” 

“What about Isak? Is he...does he feel the same?”

“I think you ought to ask him about that.”

“What I mean is that, Isak hooked up with girls before he met you. But if he knew he liked boys all along, doesn’t that bother you?”

Even’s fingers tightened around the phone in his palm. He silently reminded himself that it wasn’t meant to be an attack. He reminded himself that these were the sort of questions people asked without meaning harm. He breathed slowly through his nose.

“No. And even if it did, I’d have no right to be bothered by it. People are expected to be interested in the opposite gender. It can be confusing and stressful when you’re trying to figure out who you are. Realizing you like boys after dating girls, or even dating girls because you’re confused, isn’t wrong.”

Vilde went quiet again. She was still staring at her knees. After long seconds passed, made longer by the drugs thrumming through Even’s veins, she lifted her fingers to her lips. Even thought about the dance floor, the drips of wine falling to the floor. He thought about Eva and Chris.  _Oh_. Things were starting to clear in his cloudy mind.

“Can I ask you a question now?” Vilde lifted her eyes to his. She looked nervous. “It’s only fair considering I did just share several details of my personal life with you.”

“Okay.”

“I saw you a little earlier. With Eva,” Even spoke slowly and deliberately. He watched the subtle panic return to her eyes, like a deer in the headlights. “Is that what’s bothering you? Are you...do you feel guilty about it?” 

Vilde was breathing in shallow pants. Her shoulders had drawn up tightly around her ears. She grabbed the joint out of Even’s loose grip again and sucked until the lit end went out. She looked like she was battling the latent sober part of her brain. And then, the renewed high washed over her and the words started spilling out. 

“Eva likes  _boys_. She’s always hooking up with Chris, and before that she was in love with Jonas. But she always kisses me at parties when she’s drunk, and I really like when she kisses me but it’s not because she likes me. She doesn’t have those kinds of feelings. But when she’s not drunk she’s always touching me, but in a friend way. And it doesn’t bother me, it’s just. We’re...we’re  _friends_.”

The tears had returned to the corners of her eyes. They were spilling down her flushed cheeks. Even wasn’t sure she’d noticed that she was crying again. He reached out and rested his hand on her shoulder again. 

“Just because Eva hasn’t dated a girl doesn’t mean she isn’t interested. And even if she hooks up with Chris, that doesn’t mean she doesn’t like you, Vilde. She obviously likes kissing you just the same as she likes kissing him.”

Even watched as her brain attempted to process what he was saying.

“But I don’t understand why it makes me...makes me...”

“Jealous?” 

“...to see her with  _him_.” She wiped at her leaky eyes with her puffy sleeve. 

“Vilde, if you like kissing Eva as a friend, that’s okay,” He gave her shoulder a little squeeze. “But if you like kissing her as  _more_  than a friend, that’s okay too.” 

She looked unconvinced.

“I do. Like her.” Her voice was barely more than a whisper. “But I’m not a lesbian. I—”

She stopped mid-thought with her mouth hanging half open when she caught Even’s eye. He was giving her his most incredulous look. She closed her mouth and nodded.

They both jumped as the bathroom door swung open. Even looked up to see two exceptionally skeptical faces peering down at them from the the doorway. 

Even said  _Isak_  at the same time that Vilde said  _Sana_. Isak and Sana wore identical pursed lips and narrowed eyes. The four of them all looked at one another, unsure how exactly to proceed.

Sana was the first one to speak.

“What’s going on in here? Vilde, are you okay?” Vilde stood up abruptly, teetering violently as she climbed out of the tub.

“Yeah, everything’s fine. Even and I were just...talking.” She caught an eyeful of her own skirt, still tucked up into her nylons, in the mirror behind her and hurried to pull it down over her ass. Isak looked pointedly at the celling and Sana shot a frown at Even before continuing.

“We’ve run out of drinks so Eskild’s offered to run to the store for more, do you want him to get you something?”

“Oh, yeah, hang on I’ll come out with you.”

She reached for Sana’s hand, started out of the room, but stopped in the doorway and looked back over her shoulder at Even.

“You’re lovely.” She beamed at him. Then at Isak. “Hi Isak!”

Sana tugged impatiently at her hand and they disappeared into the hall. Isak stood static for a minute, looking equal parts horrified and amused at Vilde’s enthusiasm. When he came to, he stepped into the bathroom and closed the door behind him. He turned towards Even, one eyebrow raised.

“You caught me.” Even held up what was left of the blunt. He watched Isak’s eyes and braced himself for the disapproval. The reprimand. The  _you know it’s not good for you, I shouldn’t have to babysit you_.

But it never came.

Isak smirked. He walked over to the bathtub and stepped in. He sunk down on his knees, straddling Even’s lap and snatched the blunt.

“Thank god you’ve got some left. After that shit show with Magnus...holy fuck you have  _no_  idea. You got a light?”

Even patted around until he found the matches. He lit the blunt and Isak puffed it back to life. And there they sat, alone, happy, Isak imitating Magnus’ abysmal attempt at wooing the Bakka third year, Even’s laugh reverberating off the walls of the shower, exchanging lazy smiles and messy kisses. Forgetting that anyone else in the world existed.

*

The morning after the party wasn’t exactly picturesque.

Sunlight burned his retinas and frigid air trickled into Even’s room through the cracked window from the night before. Isak was hungover and decidedly  _not_  in the mood for cuddling. Even felt like someone had flattened his skull with a rolling pin. Or maybe a steam roller.

The ding of Isak’s phone—not once, not twice, but  _three fucking times_ —was enough to set them both on a tirade of swears and groans.

“It’s on your side, I can’t reach it.” Isak’s voice was muffled. Even looked over. He was face down in a pillow.

Even sat up and fished through his blankets and sheets until he felt the cool metal of Isak’s phone. He dropped it on the back of Isak’s head. Isak’s exasperated swear made the faintest smile spread across Even’s lips as he dove head first back into the comforter.

A few moments of silence passed. Even could hear Isak tapping gently on his phone, checking the messages. His curiosity won out over his desire to fall instantly back into sleep.

“Who is it? Your mom?” God, his voice sounded like he’d been raised from the dead.

Isak didn’t respond right away. An uncomfortable feeling bubbled in Even.

“Isak? Is something wrong?” 

“Oh, uh no. It’s Vilde.” He sounded annoyed. Even’s curiosity was piqued.

“What did she say?”

Isak rolled back onto his stomach and scooted up next to Even’s pillow. He placed the phone in Even’s open palm. Even looked at the screen. 

_(10:10) hei Isak! Jeg hadde en veldig fin tid å snakke med Even går kveld_

_(10:12) Jeg lurte på om du kanskje har lyst til å ta en kopp kaffe med meg en gang denne uken?_

_(10:13) ♡_

Even squinted down at the messages. He read them again but they stayed the same.

“She...wants to have coffee with you?”

“I don’t fucking know what’s gotten into her lately. It’s like she thinks we’re best friends all of a sudden.” Isak was face down in his pillow again. Even tossed the phone to the side and reached over to thread his fingers through Isak’s mussed hair. His shoulders relaxed, and Even thought he heard him make a sound dangerously close to a purr.

“I think you should be nicer to her. We both should.”

Isak rolled over and stared at Even with exaggerated offense.

“Nice? What, you think I’m mean to her? You know as well as I do, she’s totally weird. She’s obsessed with the revue and her russebuss. It drives me insane.” Even let his hand drift from Isak’s hair to the warm skin of his neck, drawing circles over his cheekbone with his thumb.

“I’m not saying you have to be interested in that stuff. But you two might have more in common than you think,” Isak looked deeply skeptical. Even puffed a laugh out of his nose, leaned in and kissed Isak’s pursed lips until they loosened and opened beneath his. Isak’s mouth followed his when he pulled back.

“And she could use a friend right now.” Isak’s eyebrows shot up. 

“What does she need me for, the two of you looked pretty friendly last night.” He wrapped his hand around the back of Even’s neck, trying to pull him down into more kisses. 

“She asked about you. She said you seem happier.”

“She...she did?” Isak’s grip on his neck slipped.

“She also told me about the messages she sent you. Telling you I was crazy and not to be trusted.” Even nuzzled their noses together. Isak’s lips turned up in a shy smile. “She said you defended me. That the rumors didn’t matter to you.”

Isak’s long lashes brushed against Even’s cheek. His voice was quiet when he answered.

“It just bothered me. That people would say those things about you when they didn’t even know you.” Even smiled. 

“So why don’t you give Vilde the benefit of the doubt and have one coffee with her? To get to know her a little better?”

Isak licked his lips, considering, and nodded.

“Good. Now. How many people do you think are crashing in my living room that would hear us if we—”

“Even!” Isak squawked as Even’s hands slithered under the waistband of his sweats. He smirked and dipped down to smother Isak’s face in kisses.

Maybe hungover mornings weren’t so bad after all.

 


End file.
